Fresh strike threat as teachers pay dispute drags

By
Jewel Topsfield

Catholic teachers have vowed to join state school teachers in a strike on February 14 to fight for a new pay deal if the drawn-out dispute is not resolved.

CATHOLIC teachers have vowed to join state school teachers in a strike on February 14 to fight for a new pay deal if the drawn-out dispute is not resolved.

The wages of Catholic teachers are directly linked to those in the state system, so until a deal is negotiated between the Australian Education Union and the state government, there can be no deal in the Catholic system.

The government and AEU on Thursday night resolved to resume talks on January 31, but Independent Education Union Victoria general secretary Debra James said: ''The track record of the government so far has taught us not to hold our breath.

''The very fact that the negotiations have been this protracted is a direct result of the arrogance we've seen from the Baillieu government over the last year, and typical of the lack of respect they have shown for school staff and the important work they do.

''Their latest comments about school camps and supervision only show how out of touch they are.''

Fairfax Media this week revealed the Education Department sent a memo to principals late last year encouraging them to plan for camps and excursions as per usual, despite the introduction of work bans on unpaid overtime from the first day of term one.

The memo said time spent at the camp outside the allocated 38 hours, such as ''free time'' at the end of an afternoon of activities, did not count as actual working hours.

Ms James said the union had written to Catholic teachers calling on them to again take to the streets on February 14.

Up to 60 Catholic schools, including St Monica's College in Epping - the biggest Catholic school in the state - were closed last September when Catholic teachers joined their state school counterparts in a march to Parliament House.

Ms James said IEU members would prefer not to take further action, but the ''intransigence'' of the Baillieu government left them with no other option. ''It is insulting to our members to be starting the 2013 school year with no resolution to the stand-off and a pay offer from the government that devalues the work of all educators.''

The Australian Education Union is seeking a 12 per cent pay rise over three years - a significant shift from the 30 per cent originally sought.

However the Victorian government is refusing to budge from its offer of 2.5 per cent a year plus performance-based pay, something opposed by the union as divisive and punitive.

The Baillieu government has not moved on its threat to seek an injunction in the Federal Court if the industrial action is not called off before January 29.

Executive director of Catholic Education Stephen Elder said he was very disappointed the IEU was encouraging Catholic staff to participate in the rally next month.

''It is unclear why the IEU has chosen to support action by the AEU, who would reduce funding to Catholic schools and put the jobs of thousands of teachers in Catholic schools at risk,'' Mr Elder said.

He said the action was unnecessary because the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria was committed to negotiating in good faith a fair outcome for staff in Catholic schools.